The Best Friend
1 Samuel 18:1-5 1 As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. 5 And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. After David’s stunning defeat of Goliath (and the entire Philistine army) he is thrust into the public forum. He now has the full attention of King Saul and his son, Jonathan. In these five verses, we find a stark contrast between the attitudes of Saul and Jonathan to the man who would be the next king. Sau has largely ignore...